Christian Standard Bible
Romans 4:17
17As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations — in the presence of the God in whom he believed, the one who gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that do not exist.
Romans 4:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
- New International Version (NIV)As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.
- English Standard Version (ESV)as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
- New King James Version (NKJV)(as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;
Context of Romans 4:17
15because the law produces wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression. 16This is why the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace, to guarantee it to all the descendants — not only to the one who is of the law but also to the one who is of Abraham’s faith. He is the father of us all. As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations — in the presence of the God in whom he believed, the one who gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that do not exist. 18He believed, hoping against hope, so that he became the father of many nations according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be. 19He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body to be already dead (since he was about a hundred years old) and also the deadness of Sarah’s womb.
Read all of Romans 4Romans 4:17 word by word
καθὼς γέγραπται ὅτι πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικά σε, κατέναντι οὗ ἐπίστευσεν θεοῦ, τοῦ ζῳοποιοῦντος τοὺς νεκροὺς καὶ καλοῦντος τὰ μὴ ὄντα ὡς ὄντα·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- Asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
- it is writtenγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
- I have madeτίθημιtithēmi · to placeG5087
- theeσύsu · youG4771
- a fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
- of manyπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
- nationsἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
- beforeκατέναντιkatenanti · beforeG2713
- him whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- he believedπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- who quickenethὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- who quickenethζωοποιέωzōopoieō · to make aliveG2227
- the deadνεκρόςnekros · deadG3498
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- callethκαλέωkaleō · to call: callG2564
- those things which beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- notμήmē · notG3361
- asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
Cross-references for Romans 4:17
- Genesis 17:4“As for me, here is my covenant with you: You will become the father of many nations.
- Genesis 25:1Abraham had taken another wife, whose name was Keturah,
- Genesis 28:3May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you so that you become an assembly of peoples.
- Hebrews 11:12Therefore, from one man — in fact, from one as good as dead — came offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and as innumerable as the grains of sand along the seashore.
- Romans 3:29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,
- Romans 4:2If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about — but not before God.
- Romans 8:11And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.
- Matthew 3:9And don’t presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones.
- John 5:21And just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to whom he wants.
- John 6:63The Spirit is the one who gives life. The flesh doesn’t help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.
- 1 Corinthians 15:45So it is written, The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
- Ephesians 2:1And you were dead in your trespasses and sins
- 1 Timothy 6:13In the presence of God, who gives life to all, and of Christ Jesus, who gave a good confession before Pontius Pilate, I charge you
- Romans 8:29For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
- Romans 9:26And it will be in the place where they were told, you are not my people, there they will be called sons of the living God.
- Isaiah 43:6I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back!’ Bring my sons from far away, and my daughters from the ends of the earth —
Commentaries on Romans 4:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17As it is written, I have made thee a father - That Abraham's being a father of many nations has relation to the covenant of God made with him, may be seen, Genesis 17:4, Genesis 17:5; : Behold my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations: neither shall thy name any more be called Abram; but thy name shall be Abraham, for a father of many nations have I made thee, i.e. he was constituted the head of many nations, the Gentile world…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17As it is written - Genesis 17:5. I have made thee - The word used here in the Hebrew Genesis 17:5 means literally, to give, to grant; and also, to set, or constitute. This is also the meaning of the Greek word used both by the Septuagint and the apostle. The quotation is taken literally from the Septuagint. The argument of the apostle is founded in part on the fact that the past tense is used - I have made thee - and that God spoke of a thing as already…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-22Verses 13-22 The promise was made to Abraham long before the law. It points at Christ, and it refers to the promise, Ge 12:3. In Thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. The law worketh wrath, by showing that every transgressor is exposed to the Divine displeasure. As God intended to give men a title to the promised blessings, so he appointed it to be by faith, that it might be wholly of grace, to make it sure to all who were of the like precious…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-1716-17. Therefore, &c.--A general summary: "Thus justification is by faith, in order that its purely gracious character may be seen, and that all who follow in the steps of Abraham's faith--whether of his natural seed or no--may be assured of the like justification with the parent believer."Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 4:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Romans 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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